In the morning Thanodels further attempts to gain information about Radu from the thieves guild is unsuccessful and he is warned not to mess with him. Braylec on the other hand had found out copious amounts; there is to be another meeting of slavers at a house some miles away from Galentry. Braylec spent the day scoping the place out but it is in the middle of miles of treeless farmland so he could not get close enough for any detail.
We arrive at the house quite late in the day. The gates are locked but it is simple for Quilethe to pick the big rusty catch. It is agreed that Cronen and Braylec pose as guards for Rosco who will play a slave trader. Gargouth is loosely tied as a slave and Quilethe slips on the bracelet and turns invisible so she can follow closely on foot. Thanodel trots of in a counter clockwise circuit of the walls while Jutiapa and Bubastis go clockwise. At the house Quilethe again unlocks the door and they go inside to find a sparse and dusty hallway. Quilethe finds a good hiding place in the cloakroom, while Braylec head straight for the roof; Rosco starts searching the house and Cronen takes the horses to a farmhouse some way off to be looked after by Sheylea. Having finished their circuit Jutiapa hides behind the gatehouse and Thanodel joins Rosco and Quilethe in searching for signs of life. Thanodel notices the tracks everyone is making in the dust and takes steps to eradicate their passage. Cronen enters the cellar from the back and finds a secret passage to the first floor. He climbs up to the first floor and startles Quilethe while she is searching a room by sliding back the secret door and stepping out in front of her. The whole house is searched in a few hours so it is now the early hours of the morning; Quilethe goes back to her hide away and Thanodel joins Braylec on the roof. They notice two burly figures make their way to the house. Inside they silently start a search of the ground floor. Quilethe easily evades their prying eyes. Realising what is happening Gargouth jumps into a wardrobe while Braylec joins Cronen and Rosco in the secret passage. The search leads finally to the roof where Thanodel has to cling onto the parapet to avoid being seen. After going back down to the cellar they finally start to talk but it is not to each other. They start their report to an unseen third party, It seems all clear, but the gates were unlocked.
Are you sure?
Theres no one here.
Meet me inside and Ill prepare some spells to check it again. It must be clear before Radu arrives.
Hearing this the small crowd in the passage go upstairs to Thanodel on the roof as he reasons that this is not in the house. Quilethe is unfortunately trapped in the cloakroom. While the mage is with his thugs in one of the other ground floor rooms she tries to flee silently but an un-oiled hinge gives her away before she even takes a step. Ah, a little thief. Now we can have some fun. thingy sneers. Get her!
Quilethe tries to dodge past the thugs as they lumber towards her but the mage casts a spell and she is dragged into the room. Rosco silently investigates the second floor again and returns to the room to give the all clear. Thanodel joins him on the first floor and they hear Quilethe being severely interrogated. She spits out her broken teeth but gives nothing away. Cronen has a plan and takes Gargouth through the passage and round to the front door.
George answers the door, Wadda ya want?
Have you seen anyone strange hereabouts?
I dunno whot ya mean, mista he retorts.
Im afraid I havent made myself very clear. Our caravan is camped some miles away and we have been set upon by brigands. Cronen bluffs. We have chased them half the night and they seem to lead us here. Have you seen anything of them?
We dont ave no brigands ere
After a more verbal prodding George goes to get thingy. Sighing and generally moaning about the lack of good thugs these days thingy comes to the door.
Who are you and what do you want?
I am Cronen and as I have told your unintelligent friend my caravan has been set upon by brigands on our way here.
What do you want me to do about it?
Help us catch them.
I have business to attend to and cant help you.
Couldnt we at least check for them here?
There is no one here! We already checked and found nothing. You might want to take a look behind the gatehouse. Didnt you see your quarry on the way in?
I didnt check the gatehouse. It isnt my responsibility to patrol your grounds but I wouldnt want bandits around at a slave trade.
Who are you again?
Im Cronen the slave trader, we have business you and I.
How did you know to come here? We are not slavers but simple business men.
I take it you are thingy.
You know my name.
I also know we want to see Radu.
He isnt here but he will arrive shortly. thingy scowls Return to your encampment and return tomorrow at the appointed time.
With that the door is closed and Cronen leads away one of the thugs horses. As he passes the gatehouse he whispers They know youre there.
Hearing this and seeing the extra horse Jutiapa polymorphs into a duplicate equine form and trots back to the house and stands next to those still tethered.
Cronen and Gargouth set-up a camp a half mile away from the gates to wait for something to happen.
What do we do with her? asks thingy.
Take her to the cellar and kill her. thingy commands I cant be bothered with her anymore.
Quilethe is dragged away. Thanodel and Rosco move to the secret passage ready to attack when they get her to the cellar. Braylec meanwhile prepares a rope to abseil down the back of the building to the cellar door.
In the cellar Roy is about to cut Quilethes throat when she blinks out of sight before him.
Get down here and give me some help. Ive lost her. he bellows.
George runs round the front and stands in the cellar doorway but Quilethe has already slipped past Roy and got outside. They search the cellar and a little way outside where they notice spots of blood from Quilethe's torture wounds. She is limping to the farm where Shaylea waits and once there is healed by the cleric.
Thanodel returns to the roof and leaves Rosco setting traps in the secret passage in case this is searched by the thugs. While setting the second trap the thugs discover him and grab hold before he can react.
Another one. crows thingy and a beating ensues.
Quilethe and Shaylea leave the cottage to join Cronen and Gargouth. Short after they arrive George and Roy leave the house and jump on their horse and Jutiapa. She has to be whipped to be controlled correctly by the rider. They ride out to the camp and insist that Cronen returns with them. Quilethe seeing them approach has disguised her appearance and makes herself look busy about the camp.
I will need to bring a guard with me. he points to Gargouth.
Cronen and Gargouth are led back to the house and into a room where they are questioned further. Rosco is dragged in and dropped to the floor. Do you recognise him? demands thingy.
Is this one of the brigands we are seeking?
Thats what were asking. Do you deny that he is one of your group? Have you not sent him to spy on us?
I dont know who he is.
thingy sees that this is going nowhere and have Cronen and Gargouth sent to a room on the 1st floor to await Radu. How long until he gets here?
Ya wont have ta wait long. alf an our or so., George replies and locks them in the room.
Thanodel hearing this exchange reports back to the rest of the party on the roof and returns to try and hear more.
Cronen and Gargouth are brought into a room with who can only be Radu sitting behind a desk with two chairs waiting for them in front. He invites them to sit down. Sitting in the chairs they suddenly find themselves paralysed from the neck down. They are tied to the chairs and questioned.
Rosco having been left on his own manages to escape his bonds and after a short search recover his possessions. He escapes out through the passage but is stopped outside by Bubastis who senses his masters danger stops the thief and nudges him to the front door.
With the paralysis wearing off Gargouth growls trying to break his bonds.
Ive had enough of this. Radu moans, Kill them all!
Hearing this Thanodel races to the roof to tell the others and immediately starts back towards the room. Rosco opens the front door and is entering with Bubastis when George and Roy burst from the room dragging Cronen and Gargouth still tied to their chairs. Cronen is flung down the stairs and lands near Rosco in a mass of splintered wood and rope. George follows shortly after to finish him off but even though he is badly injured from being beaten so badly Rosco swipes at him with a poison dagger to misdirect Cronens murderer. Braylec speeds paste Thanodel on the stairs having drunk a potion of haste and swipes Roy with his sword. Thanodel aids with his bow from the rear and Quilethe take a pot shot at the mage. George hacks down Rosco who falls, his blood gushing across the floor. Bubastis jumps on George and rakes his claws through his armour. Cronen struggles from his bonds and stops Roscos bleeding. Above Thanodel is struck from behind by a bolt of electricity form the room that Radu and thingy occupy. Gargouth unable to break his bonds head-butts Roy and Braylec continues to Bubastis tears Georges throat out and Cronen gains the top of the stairs to help fell Roy. The mage casts a spell and everything goes dark. Thanodel and Quilethe attempt to fire into the darkness but she senses the mage casting a spell and the door is slammed shut. She warns everyone and makes a run for the nearest room.
Outside Jutiapa regains her own form and drinks a fly potion and is soon on her way directly to the roof.
The delayed fireball that had been cast by the mage explodes in the dark and all the men are caught. Thanodel falls to the floor still burning and Rosco doesnt survive. Braylec quickly heals Thanodel but he doesnt regain consciousness. Another spell and the door slams shut again. Braylec picks up Thanodel and carries him to a nearby room where he heals him again so he is able to walk. The fireball covers the stair and hall in flame again. The surviving members swarm to attack when the light returns to the hallway and Radu comes out of the room and surrenders but he is spotted making signals at the mage. Thanodel casts a spell and the wooden floor around the mage erupts with leafy branches entangling him so that he cannot cast any more spells.
The fight is won but now Braylec has to decide whether to do as instructed and use his ring of disintegration on Radu
